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Youth and Enthusiasm verses Experience and Cunning...

13 Jul 2006

Some pondering from Paul Rosser on Prince Hal...(they can't have been working hard enough, time to ponder ??? Ed)

Whilst racing on Saturday, surfing down to Passage Rock, in amongst the Young 8.8, Trackers etc we on Prince Hal (John Staveley & myself) pondered the broaching displays provided as entertainment by all the younger fellows on their newer performance boats.

Some "PERFORMANCES" were very good indeed. An immediate broach before a red "Westpac" spinnaker even reached the mast head followed by another 5 broaches inside of two minutes was a great example.

We considered AGE and EXPERIENCE should be measured against YOUTH and EXCITEMENT in some way.

We thought of adding the total ages involved of both crew PLUS the boats age (possibly multiplied by 4 or 5) could produce some interesting and possible amusing statistics.

There could even be some "Aged divisional" results or even greatest corrected speed per year involved.

It may even be possible to adjust all results for all courses to have an overall "best" performer.

Perhaps classes or divisions or age groups that had disasters should be penalised in some way to achieve the "smartest seamanship" result of the day for say 3 to 5 different age groups.

Capsizes are worst than lost masts, being worst than sails twisted around forestays being worst than torn sails vs. no damage at all.

It was interesting seeing different yachts untangling themselves east of MotutapuIsland.

One motored in with purple spinnaker and both sheets flying horizontally from the mast head, the full length of the halyard away.

Another was motoring around in tight circles unwinding their spinnaker.

These were in addition to the many normal single broach and away again events.

That way recognition could be given to the "CLASS" of yacht that had the least problems and the most consistent effort for the majority of their yachts (say 75%).

It would at least provide some sort of additional amusement for prize giving.